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The Ark's latest gripe...

Started by Cape Cod Fleetwood, September 05, 2018, 03:28:14 AM

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Cape Cod Fleetwood

Suddenly plagued with an intermittent hard start at the same time Michael was installing the new In Line Tube emergency brake cables. Cables are in and perfect.

Michael began at the beginning going over the fine work his father did with the new points, advance/retard, timing, etc. Everything was fine. Checked the starter/charging system, fine. Then he looked at the new battery, the ground cable is original. He used a battery charger as a jumper, took the ground battery post direct to the engine block - boom, car starts instantly. So he's going to replace the ground cable and ground to the block vs the body as it is now. Now I'm just WAITING for him to call/text me he has the cable and to bring the car in. I know the shop is busy, but time runs short for me to drive and enjoy The Ark this year as it goes into his shop to start the roof job in October. And I won't drive it with this issue, I'm afraid I'll get stuck.

Yes I was whining a bit about this, 'another issue'. Michael read me the riot act. "This is an OLD car with a lot of original parts. You need to expect issues and be grateful if its under $100 to fix, OK?"

OK

<whine>

\m/
Laurie
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

Glen

Quote from: Cape Cod Fleetwood on September 05, 2018, 03:28:14 AM

Michael read me the riot act. "This is an OLD car with a lot of original parts. You need to expect issues and be grateful if its under $100 to fix, OK?"

\m/
Laurie

That irks me.  With proper maintenance these cars will run great for a long time. 
If it was me I would first be sure the ground cable is large enough for this car, no honda cable will work right.  Next be sure the battery terminal and the clamp are clean where they make contact with each other.  Then remove the cable where it bolts to the frame and wire brush or use sandpaper on the surfaces that make contact and bolt it back making sure it is tight. 
Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

35-709

Yes, I would retain the grounding as Cadillac designed it and make sure ALL grounds are clean and tight.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

Scot Minesinger

Laurie,

This is an easy one, so you should be back on the road soon.

The ground cable is supposed by grounded to the frame, not the body.  The body is isolated from the frame with rubber body mount bushings.  There is a low amp cable grounding body to frame in a few places.  The starter is mounted to the block and a huge frame to starter ground strap is used to connect starter/block to frame, then the frame is used to make ground from starter strap at frame back to cable.

You will need your frame to battery ground.  If the negative is changed to block then some lights might not work.

Have the mechanic check the starter to frame ground strap, and or replace it.
Fairfax Station, VA  22039 (Washington DC Sub)
1970 Cadillac DeVille Convertible
1970 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1970 four door Convertible w/Cadillac Warranty

76eldo

Starter to frame ground strap could also be missing.

Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

cadillacmike68

All my ground straps are in place and relatively clean or at least free of rust (there's plenty of oil, etc to prevent rust!)

However before I had the cables changed, occasionally I would get Nothing with the key. I had to take off the cables at the battery clean them off and it would be fine again. There was so much crystallized oxidation / battery acid / whatever, that I eventually just replaced the cables. The battery cables can be a bugaboo if they are not kept very clean.
Regards,
"Cadillac" Mike

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Thanks for all the support guys.

Glen the car has a lot of original parts still, they're 48+ years old, I don't expect them to last forever, especially electrical connections, like the ground battery cable which is original. Parts that have been exposed to the elements, dirt, molested by previous turnips, etc., they're going to fail eventually. I'm just hoping its not a weekly thing.

Mike that battery has replaced so many times this year and the cables cleaned each time.

Scot, interesting that some lights might not work if grounded to the engine, can you be more specific on which lights I should check?

And still no text/call from Michael <sigh>, I know he's busy, I have to be patient, not my strong suit.

\m/
Laurie
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

35-709

The ground cable at the battery may be clean but is the other end where it attaches to the frame clean and tight --- and as mentioned the cable itself could be bad.  Connecting the ground to the engine block is an attempt at a "work-around", like putting an electric fan in front of the radiator so the engine doesn't overheat to work-around the fact that the radiator simply needs to be flushed.  Keep the original setup make sure all of the ground cables are in place and that all connections are clean and tight.  That goes for the positive connection at the starter too.
1935 Cadillac Sedan resto-mod "Big Red"
1973 Cadillac Caribou - Sold - but still in the family
1950 Jaguar Mark V Saloon resto-mod - Sold
1942 Cadillac 6269 - Sold
1968 Pontiac Bonneville Convertible - Sold
1950 Packard 2dr. Club Sedan
1935 Glenn Pray - Auburn Boattail Speedster, Gen. 2

59-in-pieces

Laurie,

Suck it up troop - Mike is right.
Whining is for "girly girls".
Unless U meant wining, as running around with a glass of wine, red, white, or rose'.
After all, U R a Cadillac owner - act like it.
We're tough, and we can take it - me personally with Scotch.
LOL

Have fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

Cape Cod Fleetwood

Quote from: 59-in-pieces on September 05, 2018, 09:35:49 PM
Laurie,

Suck it up troop - Mike is right.
Whining is for "girly girls".
Unless U meant wining, as running around with a glass of wine, red, white, or rose'.
After all, U R a Cadillac owner - act like it.
We're tough, and we can take it - me personally with Scotch.
LOL

Have fun,
Steve B.

HA! and me with Captain Morgan spiced rum, diet coke and a cherry - *BARTENDER*!
Mike was on the Islands making vehicle house calls to the beautiful people today.
I found the cable at NAPA, Beard Chevy might carry it, #1BC19. If I don't hear from him tomorrow I'm taking a
swing at this myself on Friday, I want to drive my car and time runs short. And If I f* it up, Hagerty will tow me for free to his shop... or I can catch him coming or going to work as he drives past my street. I'll be driving The Ark this weekend dang it.

\m/
Laurie
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all

Cape Cod Fleetwood

LOL! Yeah that didn't work, but I did TRY. Even had Mike Josephic on the phone guiding me, that bolt that holds the ground onto the frame was not coming off. Its all good, let HVA fix it.

I need to stick to polishing...

\m/
Laurie
There are 2 kinds of cars in the world, Cadillac and everything else....

The Present -1970 Fleetwood Brougham

The Past -
1996 Deville Concours
1987 Sedan De Ville "Commonwealth Edition"
1981 Coupe De Ville (8-6-4)
1976 Sedan De Ville
1975 Sedan De Ville

The Daily Driver and work slave -
2008 GMC Acadia SLT *options/all